Bench saw



Oct.I l2, 1937.` T. Hl-:DGPETH BENCH SAW Filed July- 25, 1936A 2 SheetS-Shee l Oct. 12, 1937. T. 1 HEDGPETH BENCH SAW 2 Sheet s-Shee Filed July 25; 1956 .NNW WW Nm. NW

Patented Oct. 12, 1937 sasso BENCH SAW Theron L. Hedgpeth, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Duro Metal Products Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 25,1936, serial No. 92,514

6 Claims.

'Ihe present invention relates to bench saws, and is particularly concerned with improvements in the saw guard, splitter, and devices for preventing kick-back of the lumberY due to the reaction on the lumber from the rotating saw.

One of the objects of the inventionis the pro- Vision of an improved guard' and splitter arrangement by means of which a maximum protection is provided for the user of the bench saw vand the saw is still accessible for repairs or other operations when' the saw is not in operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved no-kick-back device whichV is adapted to positively 'prevent the saw from kicking back a pieceof lumber after the piece has been sawed ol from the main body ofthe work piece.

Another objectV of the invention isthe provision of an improved no-kick-back device which is adapted to gripvthe. work piece effectively With- Y out any possibility of marring the work piece or producing tooth marks, or any possibility of slippage.

Another object of the invention is the provision ofan improved no-kick-backV device which is adapted to be automatically arranged so that it will grip work pieces of diierent thicknesses without any new adjustment by the operator. Y

Another object is the provision of such a selfadjusting no-kick-back device Vfor bench saws which is automatically drawn into closer contact with work pieces of various thicknesses by the Vforce acting on theV work piece. p l

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views'.

Referring to the two sheets of drawings accompanying Vthis specification, f 'g. 1 is a side elevational View with parts of the mechanism broken away, showing` a bench saw constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a larger fragment-ary view ofthe guard, splitter, and no-kick-back device, showing the details of construction of these improvements;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same devices, showing'further details of construction; Fig. 4- is a sectional View, taken on the yplane of the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction table top I2, 'circular'saw I3, guide or fence Ill, Y

and the cranks I5 and I6 with their associated mechanisms for adjustment of the angularity of the table topand'its elevation respectively.

nism I8 for causing it to progress along the guide bar I6', and a clamping device I9 for securing it in any predetermined position.

The table I2 is supported on trunnions 20 for pivotal movement, and the same brackets which support bearings for the trunnions 2li also carry an extension for Supporting the splitter 22, guardV 23, and no-kick-back device 2t. The bracket 2l carries an upwardly extending bracket Y25 which may have a supporting flange 26 with a lateral surface located in a vertical plane.

This flange 2E is provided with a pair of apertures for receiving the screw bolts 2l, the apertures being tapped to receive the. threaded ends of the bolts, or the bolts passing through and being provided with nuts, as shown in Fig. 3.

The splitter 22 may then comprise a relatively thick sheet of steel or other suitable material which is bolted to the flange 26 by means of bolts Y 2l. Splitter 22 has a downwardly extending portion with apertures for passing the bolts 2l, and

its main body portion extends in a horizontal Y .direction and in a vertical plane over the table top I2, being slightly spaced therefrom at 28.

The clearance provided at 28 prevents the splitter 22 from interfering wth the pivotal movement of the table I2. The splitter is provided with an upwardly extending lug 29 having an aperture for receiving the screw bolt 30, which pivotally supports the two sheet metal arms 3l, 32 that carry the guard 23. The sheet metal arms 3i, 32 comprise relatively stili strips of metal which are spaced from each other over the major portion of their length a distance equal to the width v ,of the guard 23.

At the right end of Fig. 3 they are bent diagoother adjacent the splitter lug 29, therebyproviding the Vattaching flanges 34. Y

The arms 3 l, 32 are provided with aligned apertures 35 for receiving the screw bolt 35, which passes through these arms and through the side.` iianges 31, 38 of the guard 23, thereby pivotally supporting the guard on the arms 3l, 32.

The guard side flanges 3l, 38 are provided with arcuate apertures 33 which extend on an arc, having the center at the axis of the screw bolt 36. the bolt 3S, while the inwardly exten-ding lugs iii carried by the .ends of the arms 3i, 32 are Vlocated inthe slots 39.

The ends ofthe slots 391 and the lugs @il form stop members for denitely determining the range of pivotal movement of the guard 23 on the arms 3l, 32. These stopfmembers prevent the guard from turning upside Ydown or assuming any other position with respect to the arms 3l, 32 than that which is necessary to bring the guard'into proper guarding position with respect to the saw I3.

Thus the guard 23 may move pivotally on The whole guard may, however, be lifted upwardly with the arms 3|, 32 pivoting about the bolt 3S so as to give access to the saw for observation, sharpening, or other reasons. The body of the splitter 22 extends forward toward the saw blade I3, but is spaced therefrom and may be provided with a partially circular borderV di adjacent the blade i3. The splitter is arranged so that its sides are substantially in the plane of the cutting edges of the saw teeth, but the splitter is slightly thicker than the slot which is cut by the saw so as to effectively relieve pressure on the saw by the parts of the work piece after they have passed the blade.

'I'he saw blade i3 rotates counter-clockwise as shown in Fig. l and tends to push the work piece Il' toward the left in Fig. 1 against the direction of feed of the work piece, which is toward the right. The work piece Il is customarily fed to the saw by taking hold of that part which is at the top of Fig. 3, and as the strip of lumber which is adjacent the fence lil is cut off from the main body of the work piece Il', it passes out of control of the operator, who has hol-d of the main body of the work piece Il'. Therefore, it becomes desirable, particularly as a part of the work piece is cut off, to have some device to prevent the loose part of the work piece from being kicked back by the reaction of the saw blade i3 against the work piece. Of course, this is also desirable during the feeding of the work piece, as it facilitates the steady feeding without the chance of the work piece being kicked back while the operator is moving his hand from one point to another on the piece of lumber.

The no-kick-back device 24 is preferably carried by the splitter 22, and for this purpose 'the splitter 22 has another upwardly extending lug i2 adjacent the left end of the splitter 22, in Fig. l. This lug i2 has an aperture 43 for passing a screw bolt 4Q. The screw bolt 44, as well as screw bolts 3G and 35, is provided with suitable lock nuts, and it passes through a diagonal slot i5 located in the no-kick-back device 213.

The anti-kick-back device 24 preferably comprises a member having one or more metal supporting plates 6, 47 which are adapted to withstand the compression and other forces placed upon them, and these metal supportingpiates may be spaced from each other and may sup-V port a resilient rubber sheet 48 which is adapted to engage the work piece. Y

The plates d6, il and they rubber sheet d8 may closely approximate each other in shape, but the rubber sheet d8 projects beyond the edges i9 of the plates at itsedge 5t so that it is the rubber which comes into engagement with the lumber, and not the metal. The edges i9 of the metal plates are shown in the form of a curve of increasing radius with respect to the axis of the bolt Hifi, and the same is true ofthe edge 56 of the rubber sheet d8, except that that edge is preferably slightly spaced from the edges 49,'since it extends beyond the edges of the metal plates.

This rubber engaging surface 59 of gradually increasing radius serves to adapt the anti-kickback device 2d to lumber of different thicknesses, and it greatly increases the range of usefulness of the anti-kick-back device. The force exerted Y on the work piece by the saw blade acts in the direction of the arrow 5l in Fig. 2, and as the rubber edge bij engages the lumber, the anti-friction characteristic of the rubber against the wood prevents slippage and causes the no-kick-back device 24 to be drawn into closer engagement with the lumber by the action of the force 5i.

In order to still further accentuate the gripping action and self-adjusting action of the antikick-back device 2d, it has the slot i5 slidably receiving the body of the bolt 415 and the slot 45 extends diagonally upward toward the right in Fig. 2. 'Ihe force acting on the no-kick-back device 24 also acts toward the left in Fig. 2, and tends to drive the walls of the slot i5 downward on the body of the bolt 44, further tending to cam the member 2li downward into engagement with the lumber.

The member 24, however, seeks a position which is determined by the thickness cf the lumber, and there it is urged into gripping relation with the lumber by virtue of the diagonal position of the slot d5, the pivotal movement of the member 24, and the increasing radius of the edge 5G.

It will thus be observed that the anti-kick-back device is adapted to adjust itself diagonally to any thickness of lumber within a predetermined range, and it automatically grips the lumber without marring it and prevents it from moving backward across the saw table toward the operator.

The guard 23 comprises a sheet metal member which may be provided with slots 53, permitting a view of the saw and the work piece through the guard, and it comprises the side flanges 31,

38 which are joined together by the yoke 54 at the cover the saw blade when it is projected to its Y most extreme position above the table.

The lower edges of the side flanges 3l, 38 may be curved upward into a form of groove 5l' at a point which corresponds to the axis of the saw shaft when the guard pivots downward ,toward the saw shaft, due to a lowering of the table.

This groove formation `5'! permits the guard to come down closer to the saw and it also permits a view of the saw blade at that point.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved splitter, guard, and anti-kick-back structure which may be constructed of sheet metal so that it lends itself to manufacture by stamping and punching operations, and it may be produced at a low cost.

My anti-kick-back device is adapted to adjust itself automatically to any thickness of lumber and to grip the lumber in this adjusted position automatically so as to positively prevent the work piece from being kicked back toward the operator or to prevent a backward feed. It is also adapted to effect this result without any possibility of marring the lumber, since it does not have any metallic teeth, but is provided with a soft resilient rubber member for engaging the y l surface of the wood.

The rubber edge 5S is also adapted to be deformed to correspond to the shape of the surface of the work piece and to change its flat surface to any curved contour on the work piece and also to change its normally horizontal hat surface to a diagonal fiat surface parallel to the top of the work piece or to the top of the table when the table is tilted. The anti-kick-back device being mounted on the splitter, which is mountedon the bearings for the trunnions for the table, it will be observed that the anti-kickl conforms to the surface of Vthe material which i is being gripped.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the sp-irit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to theA precise details of construction set forth, butY desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, is:

`1. In a bench saw, the combination of a base with a saw table and a saw, a'splitter carried by the base and extending into a position adjacentthe saw blade, an arm pivotally mounted on the splitter, a guard pivotally Vmounted on the arm, said guard having means for definitely limiting its pivotal movement with respect to the arm, and an anti-kick-back device pivotally mounted on the splitter and'a'dapted to adjust itself automatically to work pieces oi different thicknesses, said anti-kick-back device comprisi said table, said support also carrying aV pivotal supporting member, said pivotal supporting mem#v ber supporting a holding device, said holding 'device comprising a pair of metal `plates secured together in spaced relation to each other, with a non-metallic layer between said plates, said plates being` formed with said non-metallic layer projecting beyond its edge adjacent said table, and said non-metallic layer being formed with an edge of increasing radius toward theV back of the machine, whereby the holding device is adapted to be drawn into tighter engagement with a work piece bythe action of the woodworking tool, which tends to draw the work piece from the back of the table toward the front.

3. In a holding device for wood working tools, the combination of a table with a support for said table, said support also carrying a pivotal supporting member, said pivotal supporting member supporting a holding device, said holding device Vcomprising a pair of metal plates secured together inspaced relation toeach other, with a non-metallic layer between said'plates, said plates being formed with. said non-metallic layer projecting beyond its edge adjace-nt said table, and said non-metallic layer being formed with an edge of increasing radius toward the back of the machine, whereby the holding device is adapted adapted to give and hold a work piece irrespective of theV shape of its adjacent surface.

4. In a holding device for wood Working tools,

the combination ofV a tablewitha support for said table, said support also carrying a pivotal supporting member, said pivotal supporting member supporting a holding device, said holding device comprising a pair of metal plates secured together in spaced relation to Veach other, with a non-metallic layer between said plates, said plates being formed with said non-metallic layer projecting beyond its edge adjacentrsaid I' table, and said non-metallic layer being formed with an edge of increasing radius toward the back of the machine, whereby the holding device is adapted to be drawn into'tighter engagement with a work piece by the action of the wood working tool, which tends to draw the Work piece from the back of the table toward the front,

ly and backwardly extending slot engaging said pivotal support whereby the holding device is adapted to beused on work pieces of different thickness.

5. In a holding device for wood working tools,

Vthe combination of a table with a support for said table, said table being movably mounted on said support for tilting it to any of a plurality of predetermined angles, with a holding device pivotally mounted on said support, said device comprising a metal support having an edge of cam shape formed according to an increasing radius with respect to a predetermined center.

said metal Vplate supporting a resilient, non` metallic work-engaging member adapted to be deformedupon engagement with the work and Vto grip the work, irrespective of the angle of tilt of the table with respect to said support and said holding device, said holding device being drawn into tighter engagement with the work piece by motion of the work piece from the back of the table toward the front, by virtue Vof the fact that the radius of the cam surface of said holding device increases toward the back of said table.

vsaid holding device having a diagonally upward- Y 6.V In ahclding device for wood working tools,

. the combination of a table with a support for said table, said table being movably mounted on said support fortilting it to any of a plurality of Vpredetermined angles, with a holding device pivotally mounted on said support, said device comprising a metal support having an edge of cam shape formed according to an increasing radius Vwith respect to a predetermined center, said metal plate supporting a resilient, Vnonmetallic work-engaging member adapted to be deformed upon engagement with the Work and to grip the work, irrespective of the angle of tilt of the table with respect to said support and said holding device, said holding device being drawn into tighter engagement with the work piece by motion of the work piece Vfrom the back ofthe table toward the front, Vby virtue of the fact that the radius of the cam surface of said holding device increases toward the back of said table, saidrholding device being provided with a slot engaging said pivotal mounting, and said slot having a diagonally upward and backward slope with respect to said table, whereby the force applied to said holding Ydevice Vby a work piece tends to force the holding device downward on its pivotal mounting in said slot.

THERON L. HEDGPE'II-I. 

